Changed my mind about pour-over after hearing a barista at Blue Bottle

I always thought pour-over was just fancy drip coffee but last Saturday I overheard a barista in San Francisco explain how the water temp changes flavor extraction. She said 195 vs 205 degrees can make a coffee taste sour or bitter based on the bean. Tried it myself with a $20 thermometer and yeah, my morning cup actually tastes way better now. Anyone else have a moment where something simple changed how you brew?

3 comments

3 Comments

sean_torres7117d ago

The thermometer is the cheapest upgrade you can make. I did the same thing and realized my old kettle was running way hotter than I thought, probably 210 plus. Now I let it sit a minute off boil for most beans and the difference is night and day.

webb.ben17d ago

Wait, isn't 212 the boiling point, not 210?

robertb4716d ago

Yeah, I went through the same thing with my old Cuisinart kettle. Checked it with a decent instant read thermometer and it was hitting like 215 before clicking off, way hotter than it should be. What I started doing was pulling it off the heat right when the bubbles start getting big and the steam really rolls, before it actually starts a full boil. Then I wait maybe 30 to 40 seconds before pouring for medium roasts and it made a huge difference in taste, no more burnt flavors. It took some trial and error but now I've got it down to where I don't even use the thermometer anymore, just go by sight and sound.